But 2024 offers a new chance for the trailing field to narrow the advantage: Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren are all eyeing a return to the front on a more consistent basis after showing signs of progress in 2023.
Aston Martin is looking to repeat the strong start of last season that enabled Fernando Alonso to make an early title charge, while the likes of Alpine and Williams will be looking to continue their incremental progress back toward the front of the field.
But until the new crop of grand prix contenders first creep out onto the asphalt in Bahrain, we’ll just have to keep guessing at what the 2024 season may have in store.
Find all the details about pre-season testing for the 2024 F1 season below, including dates, times, where to watch and what to expect.
Dates and times for 2024 F1 pre-season testing
| Results Date | Session start (GMT) | Session end (GMT) |
| February 21 | 7am | 4pm |
| February 22 | 7am | 4pm |
| February 23 | 7am | 4pm |
How to watch 2024 F1 testing
Sky Sports holds the exclusive rights to F1 broadcasting in the UK, and will provide coverage throughout the 2024 pre-season test. Sky Sports customers can also livestream the event through the Sky Go app, and you can also subscribe via Now TV.
The channel treats the testing as the prelude to the season itself, and you can expect similar treatment to a grand prix weekend, with full commentary teams, trackside analysis, diaries and paddock punditry for all three days.
The Sky Sports F1 channel is available through NowTV.
Who’s driving and when?
Each team brings a single car to testing, with each driver usually splitting their time in the car evenly. Some teams alternate drivers between the morning and evening sessions, while others give each one a full day, followed by half a morning or afternoon each for the final day.
| Session | Driver |
| Wednesday (AM) | Max Verstappen — Red Bull George Russell — Mercedes Charles Leclerc — Ferrari Oscar Piastri — McLaren Fernando Alonso — Aston Martin Esteban Ocon — Alpine Alex Albon — Williams Yuki Tsunoda — RB Valtteri Bottas — Stake Kevin Magnussen — Haas |
| Wednesday (PM) | Max Verstappen – Red Bull George Russell – Mercedes Carlos Sainz — Ferrari Lando Norris – McLaren Lance Stroll — Aston Martin Pierre Gasly — Alpine Logan Sargeant — Williams Daniel Ricciardo — RB Zhou Guanyu — Stake Nico Hulkenberg — Haas |
| Thursday (AM) | Sergio Perez – Red Bull Pierre Gasly — Alpine Nico Hulkenberg — Haas |
| Thursday (PM) | Max Verstappen – Red Bull Esteban Ocon — Alpine Kevin Magnussen – Haas |
| Friday (AM) | Sergio Perez – Red Bull Kevin Magnussen — Haas |
| Friday (PM) | Sergio Perez – Red Bull Pierre Gasly – Alpine Nico Hulkenberg — Haas |
What will happen in 2024 F1 testing?
Over three days of testing in Bahrain, teams will be looking to ensure that their cars run reliably and as expected in the various scenarios expected throughout a race weekend. They use aero rakes and flo-vis paint to ensure that the airflow over the car on track is similar to the predictions from its computer models, and make set-up changes to check that the car responds predictably, and as expected.
They will also monitor the performance of rivals to see whether there are any elements worth copying, and to get an uncertain indication of where their performance lies among the 2024 grid.
Each team’s testing programme will be different, resulting in cars running with varying fuel loads and different levels of tyre wear, not to mention the almost-infinite number of set-up possibilities. As a result, no matter who comes out on top at the end of each day, we won’t get a true indication of the running order until the field lines up for the first qualifying session of the year. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep an eye on some of the most intriguing storylines in the meantime.
Can Red Bull continue its supremacy?
Verstappen found no equal this season
Red Bull
After the most statistically dominant season in F1 history, Red Bull will be hard pressed to repeat what it accomplished in 2023. But according to team principal Christian Horner, the team is prepared for an increase in competition as he expects several rival cars to bear resemblance to the all conquering RB19.
The RB20 — the successor to Red Bull’s seventh F1 world title winner — reportedly failed its first FIA crash test ahead of its 2024 reveal. But this is likely a consequence of the team’s desire to push the boundaries of its current design in order to keep its performance advantage over the rest of the field.
Pre-season testing will reveal if it has gone too far or hit the nail on the head once again.
Who will lead the charge toward the front?
Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren were all within reach of Grand Prix victory in 2023 — but will any be in reach of a world title in 2024?
Grand Prix Photo
Red Bull spent much of 2023 in a league of its own, leaving the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes and a resurgent McLaren to battle for the scraps.
After its short-lived title run in 2022, Ferrari was favourite to reinvigorate a title battle in 2023 but fell short due to a lack of race pace and continued issues with tyre wear. Similarly, Mercedes failed to find consistency despite the best efforts of Lewis Hamilton and McLaren only found its front-running pace once the season reached its halfway mark — too late for Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri to make any kind of impression on Verstappen’s third world title.
But 2024 may tell a different story, with Ferrari and Mercedes taking new and radical approaches toward car design, while McLaren will aim to continue its upward trajectory in development.
Should all three teams get it right, Verstappen and Red Bull could have a much bigger fight on their hands than last year.
Will Aston Martin bounce back?
Aston Martin: 2023’s best success story?
Getty Images
Aston Martin was arguably 2023’s second-best success story. With Fernando Alonso at the wheel, it scored six podium finishes in the first eight races of the season before ultimately falling behind in the development race.
Many speculated that Aston Martin’s drop in performance was due to a heightened concentration on its 2024 title contender, and if the rumours prove true, another leap toward the front could enable Alonso to finally add a long-awaited third world title to his resume.
The team moved into its brand new Silverstone campus midway through the 2023 campaign, and will be hoping to see the the results from its investment in 2024.